LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2017

SEASONAL  A CASE FOR SPRING

elegant DINNER PARTY

LAST HOCKEY GAME OF THE YEAR Tripel Karmeliet LCBO 287490, 330 mL, $3.65 Bid the NHL season farewell with a great beer! The recipe for this strong (8.4% alcohol by volume) Belgian triple-grain brew comes from a 17th-century monastery, or so they say. It certainly makes a great impression in this day and age, a golden haze in the glass with a thick white head and a finely tuned balance of wheat, oats, barley malt and Styrian hops. Spicy citrus and apple aromas make fruitiness the initial impression.

TIME TO TAKE IT EASY Snapple Spiked Peach Tea Vodka  LCBO 407775, 458 mL, $2.90

Chilling them down and tasting them blind is the best way to assess ready-to-drink cocktails with an open mind. This vodka-spiked cooler showed well beside its brethren. The actual vodka is a most unobtrusive presence, hidden behind the sweet, tangy flavour of poached peaches and the hint of real tea, both of which harmonize nicely. Serve on the rocks and garnish with a slice of lemon.

2027 Wismer Vineyard Fox Croft Block Chardonnay 2014 VQA VINTAGES 421362, $22.95 A famous Niagara vineyard and an in- creasingly renowned winemaker in Kevin Panagapkacombine for thisexceptionally well-balanced, middleweight Chardonnay. Smooth but tangy, with pear, lemon zest and vanilla oak notes, it’s worthy of any connoisseur’s attention. Serve it with butter-poached lobster.

EVERYDAY RED La Belle Angele Merlot LCBO 470039, $10.95 Here’s a handy French red to have around—a versatile, dry Merlot that offers a longer finish and much more so- phistication than you’d expect from the price. Splash it into a decanter or jug to open up the peppery cherries and oaky spice, then enjoy it with grilled or roasted meats, sausages or firm, nippy cheese.

42  FOOD & DRI NK SPRING 2017